Donation of Intellectual Property: What Does it Look Like? - A four part series explaining the ends and outs of valuation and tax deductibility of donated intellectual property, e.g. copyrighted materials such as artwork, music compositions, software, etc. (Planned Giving Design Center, 2015)
Why Your Nonprofit Needs to Consider Project Management: "developing a resilient system for completion of tasks at your nonprofit is one of the most important foundations to any successful organization." A formalized project management framework can help your organization with success in fundraising events, marketing campaigns, IT upgrades or implementation, office moves, and program research. (TechSoup)
IRS Publication 526 explains how to claim a deduction for charitable contributions and discusses: organizations qualified to receive deductions, the types of contributions that can be deducted, how much can be deducted, what records to keep, and how to report deductions. (IRS)
Choose the Right Donor Management Software Through TechSoup - Most of the donor management offers available through TechSoup are for smaller organizations that have fewer than 1,000 records. Almost all of them are online or cloud-based software that you access by logging in via the Internet, though a few you can install locally on your organization's systems.
What is fiscal sponsorship? How do I find a fiscal sponsor? - "Fiscal sponsorship is a formal arrangement in which a 501(c)(3) public charity sponsors a project that may lack exempt status. This alternative to starting your own nonprofit allows you to seek grants and solicit tax-deductible donations under your sponsor's exempt status. [...] Since most grantmakers give to organizations, not individuals, fiscal sponsorship may help you qualify for more funding opportunities.
"An effective recordkeeping system enables an organization to monitor the progress of programs and aid in the preparation of financial statements and returns. If an organization does not keep required records, it may be unable to show it qualifies for exemption. Thus, the organization may lose its tax-exempt status. In addition, an organization may be unable to complete its returns accurately and may be subject to penalties."
Do your foundation's strategies and practices:
Articles in a two part series discuss the legal and risk implications of seeking charitable contributions during the giving season. They can also give the reader some idea of how to address the recent trend of institutional funders asking their grantees to describe general and project-specific risk management strategies in their reports or proposals. (Nonprofit Risk Management Center)
Four resources to help you with federal and state funding opportunities.
Originally written by consultant Barbara Davis as a part of MCF's Guide to Minnesota Grantmakers, "Writing a Successful Grant Proposal" gives an excellent overview of the key components of a grant proposal with tips on how to present your case effectively. (Minnesota Council on Foundations)